History of Fareed Zakaria in Timeline

Fareed Zakaria is an influential Indian-American journalist, political commentator, and author. He hosts CNN's *Fareed Zakaria GPS* and is a columnist for *The Washington Post*. His career includes prominent roles at *Newsweek* and *Time* magazine, solidifying his reputation as a leading voice in global affairs and political analysis.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1920: Birth of Rafiq Zakaria

In 1920, Rafiq Zakaria, Fareed Zakaria's father, was born. He was a politician associated with the Indian National Congress and a scholar interested in Islam.

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1936: Birth of Fatima Zakaria

In 1936, Fatima Zakaria, Fareed Zakaria's mother, was born. She was the editor of the Sunday Times of India.

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January 20, 1964: Fareed Zakaria's Birth

On January 20, 1964, Fareed Rafiq Zakaria was born. He is an Indian-born American journalist, political commentator, and author, and the host of CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS and a weekly columnist for The Washington Post.

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1986: Graduation from Yale University

In 1986, Fareed Zakaria graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University, where he was president of the Yale Political Union, editor in chief of the Yale Political Monthly, and a member of the Scroll and Key society.

1992: Managing Editor of Foreign Affairs

In 1992, at the age of 28, Fareed Zakaria became the managing editor of Foreign Affairs. Under his guidance, the magazine was redesigned to be published once every two months.

1993: Gained PhD from Harvard University

In 1993, Fareed Zakaria gained a PhD in government from Harvard University, where he studied under Samuel P. Huntington and Stanley Hoffmann, as well as international relations theorist Robert Keohane.

1997: Marriage to Paula Throckmorton

In 1997, Fareed Zakaria married Paula Throckmorton, a jewelry designer.

1998: Publication of 'From Wealth to Power'

In 1998, Fareed Zakaria authored 'From Wealth to Power: The Unusual Origins of America's World Role', published by Princeton.

From Wealth to Power: The Unusual Origins of America's World Role (Princeton Studies in International History and Politics Book 84)

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October 2000: Named Editor of Newsweek International

In October 2000, Fareed Zakaria was named editor of Newsweek International and became a weekly columnist for Newsweek.

2000: Annual Orator of the Philomathean Society

In 2000, Fareed Zakaria was the Annual Orator of the Philomathean Society of the University of Pennsylvania.

November 29, 2001: Meeting of Middle East Analysts

On November 29, 2001, Fareed Zakaria attended a meeting of Middle East analysts convened at the request of Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz. The meeting, according to Bob Woodward's book, ultimately produced a report for President George W. Bush that supported the subsequent invasion of Iraq.

2002: News Analyst on ABC's 'This Week'

From 2002 to 2007, Fareed Zakaria was a news analyst with ABC's 'This Week with George Stephanopoulos', where he was a member of the Sunday morning roundtable.

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2003: Publication of 'The Future of Freedom'

In 2003, Fareed Zakaria authored 'The Future of Freedom', published by Norton. This book became a New York Times bestseller and has been translated into more than 25 languages.

The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad

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2003: Supported the Invasion of Iraq

In 2003, Fareed Zakaria initially supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq, saying that any stirring of the pot is good and America's involvement in the region is for the good.

2003: George Stephanopoulos on Zakaria

In 2003, George Stephanopoulos described Fareed Zakaria as someone who is "so well versed in politics, and he can't be pigeonholed."

2003: Kissinger's Comment on Zakaria

In 2003, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger told New York Magazine that Fareed Zakaria "has a first-class mind and likes to say things that run against conventional wisdom."

2005: Host of 'Foreign Exchange with Fareed Zakaria'

From 2005 to 2008, Fareed Zakaria hosted the weekly TV news show, 'Foreign Exchange with Fareed Zakaria' on PBS.

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2005: Awarded Hubert H. Humphrey First Amendment Freedoms Prize

In 2005, Fareed Zakaria was awarded the Hubert H. Humphrey First Amendment Freedoms Prize by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

2005: Death of Rafiq Zakaria

In 2005, Rafiq Zakaria, Fareed Zakaria's father, passed away. He was a politician associated with the Indian National Congress and a scholar interested in Islam.

2006: Criticism of "Fear-Based" American Policies

From 2006, Fareed Zakaria has criticized what he views as "fear-based" American policies employed in combating terrorism, immigration, and drug smuggling, and has argued in favor of decriminalization of drugs and citizenship for illegal immigrants.

2006: Publication of 'State of Denial'

In 2006, Bob Woodward's book 'State of Denial' described Fareed Zakaria's participation in a 2001 meeting and its connection to the Iraq invasion, which Zakaria disputed, clarifying his limited role.

State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III

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March 2007: Opposed the Iraq surge

In March 2007, Fareed Zakaria opposed the Iraq surge, writing that it would work militarily but not politically, still leaving Iraq divided among its three communities.

2007: End of ABC's 'This Week'

In 2007, Fareed Zakaria stopped being the news analyst with ABC's 'This Week with George Stephanopoulos'. He was on the show since 2002.

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2007: Mira Nair won India Abroad Person of the Year

In 2007, Filmmaker Mira Nair won the India Abroad Person of the Year award.

February 2008: Zakaria on Conservatism

In February 2008, Fareed Zakaria wrote that "Conservatism grew powerful in the 1970s and 1980s because it proposed solutions appropriate to the problems of the age", adding that "a new world requires new thinking".

June 2008: Premiere of 'Fareed Zakaria GPS' on CNN

In June 2008, Fareed Zakaria's weekly show, 'Fareed Zakaria GPS (Global Public Square)', premiered on CNN. It airs twice weekly in the United States and four times weekly on CNN International.

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2008: Endorsed Barack Obama

Before the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Zakaria endorsed Barack Obama on his CNN program.

2008: Publication of "The Post-American World"

Fareed Zakaria's book 'The Post-American World', published in 2008, argued that the most important trend of modern times is the rise of China, India, Brazil and other countries.

The Post-American World: Release 2.0

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2008: Awarded India Abroad Person of the Year

In 2008, Fareed Zakaria was awarded the India Abroad Person of the Year.

January 2009: Listed Among Most Influential Liberals

In January 2009, Forbes referred to Fareed Zakaria as one of the 25 most influential liberals in the American media.

March 20, 2009: Awarded India Abroad Person of the Year 2008

On March 20, 2009, Fareed Zakaria was conferred the India Abroad Person of the Year 2008 award in New York. Filmmaker Mira Nair honored him.

January 2010: Awarded Padma Bhushan

In January 2010, Fareed Zakaria was given the Padma Bhushan award by the Indian government for his contribution to the field of journalism.

August 8, 2010: Fareed Zakaria GPS Addresses ADL Controversy

On August 8, 2010, Fareed Zakaria addressed the controversy surrounding his decision to return the Hubert H. Humphrey First Amendment Freedoms Prize on Fareed Zakaria GPS, stating that he hoped the ADL would reconsider its stance on the Park51 mosque.

August 2010: Moved to Time as Editor at Large and Columnist

In August 2010, Fareed Zakaria moved to Time to serve as editor at-large and columnist. He also writes a weekly column for The Washington Post and is a contributing editor for the Atlantic Media group, which includes The Atlantic Monthly.

2010: Won National Magazine Award

In 2010, Fareed Zakaria won the National Magazine Award for his columns and commentary.

2010: Wieseltier's Description of Zakaria

In 2010, Leon Wieseltier described Fareed Zakaria as a "consummate spokesman for the shibboleths of the [Obama] White House" regarding foreign policy and human rights.

May 2011: Obama sought counsel from Zakaria

In May 2011 The New York Times reported that Obama has "sounded out prominent journalists like Fareed Zakaria ... and Thomas L. Friedman" concerning Middle East issues.

2011: Publication of updated edition of The Post-American World

In 2011, an updated and expanded edition of 'The Post-American World' ('Release 2.0') was published.

The Post-American World: Release 2.0

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2011: Included in list of "Over-rated thinkers"

In 2011, the editors of The New Republic included Fareed Zakaria in a list of "over-rated thinkers" and commented, "There's something suspicious about a thinker always so perfectly in tune with the moment."

August 2012: Suspension and Reinstatement by Time and CNN

In August 2012, Fareed Zakaria was suspended for a week by Time and CNN due to plagiarism allegations. He was later reinstated after a review found the incident to be isolated and unintentional.

2013: Producer for HBO's 'Vice'

In 2013, Fareed Zakaria became one of the producers for the HBO series 'Vice', for which he serves as a consultant.

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September 2014: Reignited Controversy over Plagiarism Allegations

In September 2014, plagiarism allegations against Fareed Zakaria were reignited when Esquire and The Week reported on claims made in pseudonymous blogs. Newsweek added a blanket warning to its archive of Zakaria's articles, and Slate appended a notice to one of his columns, but Slate's Editor-in-Chief defended Zakaria.

2015: Publication of 'In Defense of a Liberal Education'

In 2015, Fareed Zakaria authored 'In Defense of a Liberal Education', published by Norton. The book became a New York Times bestseller.

In Defense of a Liberal Education

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2016: Hosted CNN Special "Why They Hate Us"

In 2016, Fareed Zakaria hosted a CNN special titled "Why They Hate Us".

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April 2017: Supported U.S. Missile Strike Against Syria

In April 2017, Fareed Zakaria supported the U.S. missile strike against a Syrian government-controlled airbase, praising President Donald Trump's strike.

June 5, 2018: 10th Anniversary of 'Fareed Zakaria GPS'

On June 5, 2018, the weekly foreign affairs show 'Fareed Zakaria GPS (Global Public Square)' on CNN celebrated its 10th anniversary.

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July 2018: Divorce Filing

In July 2018, Fareed Zakaria's wife, Paula Throckmorton, filed for divorce.

2019: Listed as Top 10 Global Thinker

In 2019, Fareed Zakaria was listed as one of Foreign Policy's "Top 10 Global Thinker of the Last 10 Years".

July 2020: Signed Harper's Letter

In July 2020, Fareed Zakaria was one of the 153 signers of the "Harper's Letter" (also known as "A Letter on Justice and Open Debate") that expressed concern that "the free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted."

2020: Awarded ICFJ Founders Award

In 2020, Fareed Zakaria was awarded the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) Founders Award for Excellence in Journalism.

March 2021: Criticized the Size of the U.S. Military Budget

In March 2021, Fareed Zakaria criticized the size of the U.S. military budget, comparing the cost of the F-35 fighter jet program to China's Belt and Road Initiative.

2021: Death of Fatima Zakaria

In 2021, Fatima Zakaria, Fareed Zakaria's mother, passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was the editor of the Sunday Times of India.

July 2022: Washington Post Article on Democratic Party

In July 2022, Fareed Zakaria wrote a Washington Post article titled "Forget pronouns. Democrats need to become the party of building things", arguing that the Democratic Party needs to focus on practical issues more than cultural issues.